1. Field of Invention
This invention is in the general field of casino gaming and, more particularly, relates to a card game known as 21.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In casinos throughout the world, the most widely played card game is 21, also known as Black Jack. The game is played with six to eight standard decks of cards that are shuffled together and dealt from a shoe by a dealer. Each card has a point value. An ace has a point value of either 1 or 11. Kings, queens and jacks have a point value of 10. All other cards have a point value equal to their nominal value.
The cards are dealt upon a green felt covering of a semi-circular table top. Images of seven player stations are typically carried on the covering, evenly spaced along the table top""s arcuate edge. A dealer is usually near the center of the table top""s straight edge.
As many as seven players are each given exclusive access to a player station. Accordingly, each player is said to have a player station.
A player station includes an outline of a betting circle. Before any cards are dealt, each player makes a bet by placing cheques representative of the bet within the betting circle of their player station.
After the bets are made, a first card is dealt face-up to each player and to the dealer. A second card is then dealt face-up to each player and face-down to the dealer, whereby each player and the dealer has a hand comprised of two cards. The dealer""s second card is usually referred to as a hole card.
A point value of a hand is the sum of the point values of cards comprising the hand. It should be understood that an object of the game is to acquire a hand whose point value is as close to 21 as possible, without exceeding 21. A player loses his/her bet by acquiring a hand with a point value that exceeds 21.
When the dealer""s first card has a point value of 10 or is an ace, the dealer must look at the hole card. When the sum of the point values of the dealer""s first card and hole card is 21 (referred to as a natural), the dealer announces the words, xe2x80x9cTwenty-onexe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cBlack Jackxe2x80x9d. A player who has the natural makes a similar announcement.
When the dealer has the natural, players having naturals retrieve their bets. The dealer collects the bets of players that do not have the natural.
When the dealer does not have the natural, each player that has the natural usually receives a 3 to 2 payout on their bet. Additionally, each player having a hand with a point value of less than 21 may elect to have their hand augmented by one or more additional cards. Thereafter, a player who has a hand with a point value of 21 or less is referred to as a surviving player.
After the player""s have made their election, the dealer exposes the hole card. When the dealer""s hand has a point value of 16 or less, the dealer""s hand must he augmented with additional cards until it has a point value greater than 16. When the dealer""s hand has a point value greater than 21, the dealer is said to have busted and makes a one to one payout on the bet of each of the surviving players.
The dealer""s hand may not be augmented when it has a point value greater than 16. In other words, when the dealer""s hand has a point value in a range of 17 to 21, it is the dealer""s final hand.
Each of the surviving players win a one to one payout on their bet when they have a hand with a point value greater than the point value of the dealer""s final hand. Conversely, each of the surviving players lose their bet when they have a hand with a point value less than the point value of the dealer""s final hand. Surviving players retrieve their bets when their hand has a point value equal to the point value of the dealer""s final hand.
A frequent experience of a 21 player is a desire to increase their bet when their first card either has a point value of ten or is an ace. However, 21 players are not permitted to view their first card and then decide whether to increase their bet. Heretofore, an unattractive feature of the usual game of 21 is an inflexibility of betting rules.
An object of the present invention is to provide a variation of the game of 21 where there is an increased flexibility of betting rules.
According to the present invention, in a variation of 21 called RAISE YOUR BET 21, a player makes a bet and pays a RAISE YOUR BET surcharge to a dealer before cards are dealt. After the player is dealt one card, the player has an option of increasing the bet.
The invention provides a flexibility of betting in 21 that is heretofore unknown.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention should be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.